England dig deep to restore some parity

CRICKET TEST MATCHES:TWO DAYS gone and we have a real cut-and-thrust, tooth-and-claw, quarter-neither-given-nor-asked Test match. These are the games where one innings of consequence, one inspired spell with the ball, a single run out or a blinding catch, can tip the balance.

For South Africa, it might already have come from Jacques Kallis, whose century on the first day gave them the edge.

He was out to the first ball he received yesterday morning, however, to set in motion the total collapse of their innings from an overnight 279 for six to 291 all out against James Anderson and the second new ball.

Kallis’ innings was not something England could replicate, although their collective effort was compensating.

Alastair Cook tried, just as he had last week at Kingsmead, showing great restraint for almost four hours before he was out for 65, clipping indifferently to midwicket before he could get back into the zone after tea.

Then there was Ian Bell who played himself in diligently, made 48 in three eye-pleasing hours, and then slapped a long hop so maddeningly to backward point that even his most ardent supporters were left shaking heads while gently murmuring “Oh Belly, Belly, Belly”.

By the close of a day fought under azure skies England had reached 241 for seven, a first-innings deficit of 50. Unless the lower order can rally round Matt Prior, unbeaten on 52, and reach parity or beyond, it will be South Africa who consider themselves to have a crucial if slender advantage – psychological rather than physical – and an opportunity to square the series.

The pitch played well enough, with good carry for the seamers and a more consistent bounce, although that should be the case after only six sessions.

However, one or two deliveries kept a little low while JP Duminy, South Africa’s part-time off-spinner, managed to get several balls sharply off the straight in the lead up to the second new ball.

In 17 Tests at Newlands since readmission there have been five fourth-innings totals in excess of 300, generally regarded as in the upper reaches of expectation, the highest of them 354 for five made by West Indies in a draw here six years ago. Australia, too, have made 334 for six to win.

A curious aspect, which defies explanation, is that of the 15 wickets to fall to seamers all but that of Kallis and Stuart Broad have fallen from the Kelvin Grove End. Such imbalance in distribution would tend to point to an awkward spot on the pitch, but nothing was evident yesterday: presumably then a statistical anomaly.

Having cut short South Africa’s innings first thing, preventing them from posting a really challenging total, England, or rather Andrew Strauss, looked to continue the aggressive approach to the new ball exhibited in the first two Tests. This time, though, there was no Makhaya Ntini to bowl medium-fast long hops, but instead Morne Morkel, from round the wicket. His fourth ball found the captain driving and edging to the wicketkeeper.

Jonathan Trott then made 20 unflustered runs before dragging Dale Steyn on to his stumps, whereupon Kevin Pietersen, a world away from the ebullient batsman we know, clipped his second ball back to the bowler, who stuck out his right hand to take an excellent, reflex catch.

That 36 for three became 73 for four, and trouble, when Paul Collingwood was lbw to Morkel, precisely the sort of situation that Bell-watchers prescribe as a true test of his capabilities to bat under pressure. This, to general perception, is not his forte. Were it Steve Waugh, say, striding out, or even Collingwood, they would say “thank goodness, it will be all right”.

Bell carries our nervous dispositions with him. We bite our nails. After 50-odd Tests responsibility, an air of flinty-eyed toughness does not sit kindly on him, a perception not helped perhaps by his mean and moody photograph on the big screen in which his mum seems to have just parted his hair and slicked it down with love and bit of spit.

In fact, Bell played himself in with considerable patience. It took 15 balls before a sumptuous cover drive saw him off the mark, and a further 22 deliveries before he added to his score with another.

But there were eight fours in all, including several forced square that evoked another era when back-foot play was pre-eminent.

The pity was that when dismissed he had seen off the threat posed by Morkel and Steyn, who bowled formidably well in tandem. The hard work had been done, and he recognised, as he trudged off, a concentration lapse when so close to a real breakthrough innings. It was such a shame.

The first 20 minutes of the day were extraordinary as Anderson and Graham Onions exploited a ball that was only eight deliveries old. Onions’ second ball was immaculate, the sort he had been practising for half an hour beforehand, on a length, to the tightest of lines and just shading away from Kallis.

To Anderson went the rest of the spoils, with his first delivery finding the edge of Steyn’s bat and flying to the right of Trott at fourth slip, who completed an acrobatic catch.

Morkel was bowled third ball and Friedel de Wet fell lbw.

Figures of five or 63 were only Anderson’s second such haul abroad.

Cook believes disciplined batting has kept them in the game.

“We’re close – only 50 runs behind – which means tomorrow morning is obviously crucial, as every morning seems to be in these Tests,” Cook said. “If you do bowl badly on that wicket, you do go. But there is a little bit of uneven bounce, a little bit of ‘nibble’ to keep it interesting.”

GuardianService